It is known that substrates with specific predetermined surface properties can influence biological and related events and testing thereof. For example, the behaviour and response of cells, proteins and biomolecules of various kinds, including those associated with the immune system can be influenced by chemical and structural characteristics and properties. Control of such events may be useful in areas such as medical implants, oncology, stem cell culture, deep vein thrombosis, drug delivery, biomarker identification, etc. Typically, substrates used in any form of diagnosis or treatment have inherent surface properties that will facilitate a form of action with a biological environment or test platform. In order to optimise the interaction between the surface of a substrate and the cells or biomolecules concerned its surface may be treated in some manner. However, in many cases such treatment procedures are lengthy and resource intensive.
The present invention provides an improved method and system for treating a substrate which may be useful in the above field of technology and in other fields of technology such as the nanotechnology sector, e.g. in carbon nanomaterials, biosensors, fuel cells, batteries, nanochemistry, photocatalysis, solar cells, nanoelectronics, and nanoparticles for drug delivery.
The invention can be used to develop a wide range of functional properties, including physical, chemical, electrical, electronic, magnetic, mechanical, wear-resistant and corrosion-resistant properties at the required substrate surfaces. It is also possible to use the process described herein to form coatings of new materials, graded deposits, multi-component deposits, etc. Therefore, the present invention will be of interest to many industries such as automotive, aerospace, missile, power, electronic, biomedical, textile, petroleum, petrochemical, chemical, steel, cement, machine tools and construction industries.